Missing
by ElizabethTT
Summary: Jack and Elizabeth are engaged for six months. He is gone on Mountie business in the cold weather for five days, when she received some news.
1. Chapter 1

**_Missing_**

 ** _Author's note_** ** _: this is a little story that I wrote a while ago. There are only two chapters. It's the first._**

 ** _As I had several nice reviews for my others stories, it's a way to thank you all for your kind words and support. It makes me keep going and encourages me to go over my shyness and my fears._**

 ** _English is not my native language so I am sorry if there is grammar, tense mistakes._**

 ** _I do my best to edit and fix them but i probably miss some of them. Sorry. :'(_**

 _Disclaimer:_ ** _I don't own the characters within this story. All rights and respect go to Crown media, Hall mark, Brian Bird , Michael Landon Jr, the creators and writers of the show " When calls the heart"._**

 ** _Please read and review._**

In this cold December morning, long shivers ran up and down of Elizabeth's spine as she got out of her bed. Immediately, she thought about Jack. He was gone for five days under the snow, with the freezing wind with five other Mounties and he will not be back until two days.

She knew his duties as a Mountie were very important to him but it did not prevent her of worries. However, she should become used to it because, in six months despite her father's protests, she will marry Jack for her greatest happiness. She will be the wife of the constable Thornton and she was proud of it. She had found in Hope Valley all that she was looking for and she had overcome many obstacles. But that was worth it.

She looked down at her engagement ring and smiled, thinking about the magical moment when Jack had proposed.

She stepped out her reverie, hurried not to be late at school. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, the café was full of costumers. Abigail welcomed with a bright smile.

"Good morning Elizabeth." Abigail happily greeted.

"Good morning Abigail." She happily answered.

They exchanged some words before Abigail went back to the dinner room and Elizabeth had breakfast. After that, she headed for the schoolhouse, preparing the vocabulary lesson that she intended to study today. The day went by, normally.

After class, she collected her books, turned her thoughts to Jack who sometimes came to escort her. She let her mind wander over her wonderful memories of her fiancé, during her way back to the café.

Later that day, while Abigail was busy with the dinner, Elizabeth was preparing her lessons for the next day. Then Ned Yost came in, very pale and breathless.

"Good evening Miss Thatcher, I have a wire for you. It's urgent." He told her worry could be heard in his voice.

" Thank you Mr. Yost." she answered taking it with a shaking hand.

She looked down and read it. She let escape a small shout at the same time as the wire. Abigail instantly rushed up. She noticed the tears in the eyes of her friend. Something bad had just happened to her family or Jack.

" What is it, Elizabeth?" Abigail immediately asked.

She looked up.

"Jack is missing." Elizabeth said trembling.

Abigail put her hand on her mouth to muffle a cry, taking her friend in her arms. Elizabeth cried, going with the flow against her friend. The man of her life, her fiancé was missing. She well knew that it could happen. That's why many Mounties preferred not to marry in order not to deal with this sort of situation. But Elizabeth and Jack didn't choose it. They were in love and they were very happy despite the consequences that it could entail.

Abigail accompanied Elizabeth toward a kitchen chair, sat her down while her tears, which had calmed down, splashed up again.

"Go to sleep. You need to be in good shape for school tomorrow. I bring you a bowl of soup in five minutes."

"Thank you." She answered in a weak voice.

She ascended to her room, put her nightgown on and slipped under the sheets. She grasped the frame within which was Jack's drawing that he had gave to her just before their first kiss. It revived her tears. She couldn't lose him. The life had no sense without him. Suddenly she lifted her head, thinking about what he was going through in this cold at this instant. The reality hit her hard like a slap in the face. She had to be strong, she shouldn't cry when they would have children and that their father would be in situations like this. She had to learn to control herself and handle the situation. She vigorously took her handkerchief and dried her tears.

Then she heard Abigail's footsteps in the staircase. She got out of bed, put her bathrobe on and take the tray from her friend's hand when she entered.

"Thank you very much for your support and the tray, Abigail."

Abigail thanked her with a smile, nodded and went downstairs

Elizabeth sat down at her desk in front of the window which abutted on the jail. That evening, she pried more than usual for Jack's safety and return. And that night she had a sleep interspersed by nightmare.

The following morning, she rose before dawn and her glance fixed again on Jack's drawing. Then she went to be ready for school.

The children took calmly their place that morning.

"So, it's true, Miss Thatcher? Mountie Jack is missing?" Gabe dared the first to ask to speak.

She didn't answer straightaway. Obviously the news had yet gone the rounds of Hope Valley. Then she answered in a sweet but confident voice:

" Yes, it's true but I am sure that the other Mounties will find him soon. Well, we have work to do. Open your reading books in the page 22." She answered with self-confidence.

She gave lessons like the other days, without showing her emotions and trying not to think about Jack too much.

He will be at home, safe and sound, before she knew it. The Mounties will find him.

 ** _To be continued …_**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's note**_ _ **: it's the second part and the end of this short story. Thank you for your reviews and to continue to read my stories. Your support means a lot to me.**_

 _ **A heartfelt special thanks to Rebekahwrites for proofing for me . She did a wonderful job with this chapter again .**_

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ _ **I don't own the characters within this story. All rights and respect go to Crown media, Hall mark, Brian Bird , Michael Landon Jr, the creators and writers of the show " When calls the heart".**_

Two days later, Elizabeth still had no news of Jack. When she went out of the schoolhouse to head back to the cafe, two Mounties entered the town at the same time as she arrived in the Main Street. She immediately approached them.

"Good afternoon, Constables." Elizabeth greeted.

"Good afternoon, Miss." They replied, smiling as they took in this woman's beauty.

"Are you looking into Constable Thornton's missing persons case?" Elizabeth inquired.

"Yes, we are but we are not allowed to disclose information to town citizens." The older Mountie replied coldly, staring at her stone faced.

"Sorry, Miss but we do not have any leads. With the snow it's hard to find tracks. But we are here to send some wires then we'll get back to our search." The younger Mountie replied, smiling apologetically at her for his partner's rude response.

The older Mountie gave him an angry stare. She was furious that the two Mounties didn't seem too worried about Jack.

"Good day, Constables." She bid them farewell, angrily.

"Good day, Miss." They replied simply.

She looked at them one last time before she turned around and headed to the cafe.

She entered the empty cafe. It was silent. Then she remembered. Abigail had closed it for the afternoon to go on a ride with Frank. She paced the floor for a few minutes and suddenly made up her mind. She was going to look for him herself. After all,he had taught her how to ride, make a campfire, set up a tent and survive the wilderness. She was a grown woman; she could take care of herself.

She went to her room to change into some warmer clothes for her search. She put on a pair of pant with a warmer blouse and a pair of boots. She bundled up with her coat, gloves and a scarf. Elizabeth chose some of other clean and clothes tochange into once she found Jack and they had a safe place for him to recover. She went to her dresser to retrieve the penknife with their intertwined initials engraved on the handle, that Jack had given her for these situations. She placed it in her books for a book to choose for her trip and settled on Jane Austen's "Emma".

She took the bag and went downstairs to pack some food and water for her trip. Then she left a note for Abigail and headed to the jail to get a first aid kit and some clothes for Jack. She fed Rip and left a note for Bill who was taking care of the town during Jack's absence.

She was nearly ready. The last think that she had to do was go to the mercantile to speak with Mr. Yost then go to the livery to borrow a horse. When she entered the mercantile, Mr. Yost was alone. She explained to him what she needed and he tried to dissuade her,but she was stubborn and remained unyielding. He accompanied her to the livery, saddled a white mare and tied her things to the back of the horse. She mounted and looking around she thought about how her friends would be angry with her for going out into the elements alone. Jack would have been even angrier. But she couldn't wait any longer, so she kicked the mare's flanks and took off at a trot in the direction to Calgary.

As Elizabeth left Hope Valley, Jack was on stirring from being knocked out. When he opened his eyes, the sun blinded him. He was confused. What was he doing here?

He was cold and wet. He tried to sit but his body didn't immediately respond. His head was pounding and he felt a sharp pain in his right leg, he tried to move, he groaned in pain. Then he looked up and saw that Sergeant had not left his side. He Grabbed a hold of the stirrup to pull himself up. Then he realized he couldn't walk, he was too weak. He had to mount up onto Sergeant's back. He put his foot in the stirrup and grabbing the pommel he pushed with all his might to get into the saddle. When he was on his horse's back, he slumped into the saddle from the pain and exhaustion. He felt so weak as he nudged Sergeant towards home. The pain of his leg was killing him and his memory was hazy. Then he looked down, seeing two puddles of blood:one was from his leg. The second one was from...? He suddenly felt a throbbing pain from the back of his head. He felt a cut running along his head, which most likely required stitches. He leaned forward, resting his body along his horses body.  
He felt wanted to sleep but he restrained himself. They walked during half an hour when he made out a cabin in front of them in the middle of the trees. He was lucky to be able to hide. He sighed. He needed a little pampering as he waited for his wound to heal.

Elizabeth had been riding for two hours with no sign of Jack. The sun was beginning to set. It was time to make camp. She slid down from the saddle, once she tied the mare to the tree taking care of her, she went into the forest to gather firewood.A half hour passed and Elizabeth was sitting in front of her fire. She knew that Jack would have been very proud of her for setting up everything for her night in the wilderness. She prayed and hoped that she would find him soon. She suddenly heard something.

She heard the wilderness sounds: the wind, branches blowing in the breeze, and the animals, native to this area. She searched her surroundings, not feeling at all safe, but she knew she had to be brave for Jack's sake. She would find him and she would take care of him, proving that she was as brave as he was.

After dinner, she put some wood on the fire and went inside her tent for the night. She planned to leave at dawn, so she took herself to bed, knowing that the next day would be long and hard.

She prayed for him, her family, the Hope Valley citizens, and herself drifting off to a deep sleep.

She had been riding since dawn but she didn't see any trace of Jack or any hint of which direction he had gone. From time to time she called out his name, receiving silence in reply. She was en route to Calgary, where Jack was headed. Shecarefully scanned the forest as she sat atop her saddle. The only thing that comforted Elizabeth was the sun's bright rays warming her skin giving her a sense of comfort. With every passing minute, she thought of losing Jack and wanted to succumb to the tears threatening to spill over her cheeks. She steeled her shoulders and reminded herself of her promise to stay strong. She blinked her tears away and continued her search.

Around noon, she caught sight of a cabin in the middle of the trees. A horse was tethered near by. As she approached, her heart skipped a beat: Sergeant! She urged her mare forward. Once she was near Sergeant, she slid from the saddle and made her way into the cabin. She immediately found him, lying on the sofa.

"Jack!" She whispered.

He was asleep. He had removed his red serge, his Mountie issue brown boots and had managed to open his shirt. He was pale and his breathing was hoarse, labored. She knelt beside him feeling his forehead with the back of her hand. He was running a fever,sweating  
profusely causing his hair to stick to his forehead. She once again steeled her tears as worry was evident on her features. She was going to take care of him.

Elizabeth built a fire to keep them warm. She took the pitcher from the table behind the sofa. She went out to collect water from the river she saw on her way in. She came back to boil some water. She put the first aid kit at her feet; softly washing his face,his chest was bright red as she placed a cloth on his forehead. She removed a sheet from the closet and scanned her eyes from his face down to his feet, coming back to see the wound on his right leg. It looked like he had been shot, but she couldn'tsee the bullet. 'He must have removed it before the fever overtook him.' She thought. She rolled his pant leg up to clean the wound which made a groan escape his lips. She replaced his bandage. Then she gingerly turned him on his side ,revealing the deep cut on the back of his head. She took another cloth, cleaning his head with care. He groaned trying to stop her hand, but she prevented him. The movement caused him pain.

Once she was done treating his wounds, she covered him and spoke softly, caressing his hair and his cheek.

"Shh, Jack, I am here. It's alright. I will take care of you and you will be better in no time, then we can head back to Hope Valley."

She stayed by his bedside, changing his wet cloth and checking his temperature. During the afternoon, he didn't wake up and was a little restless. She desperately needed him to open his eyes to be sure that he would come out of his unconsciousness. She knew he needed water to keep from getting dehydrated.

Before dark she went to gather firewood. She ate, knowing she needed to keep her strength up, even though she didn't have an appetite. She sat back down in the armchair near Jack and covering herself with a blanket, she began reading in her book she had packed for her trip. She soon fell asleep.

"Elizabeth!" Jack shouted in his sleep from a nightmare.

She awoke with a start, instantly looking at Jack. He was restless and kept talking in his sleep.

"No!" He shouted.

She touched his shoulder, trying to wake him up.

"Jack, please wake up. Calm down. Please!" She softly pleaded.

He didn't stir, but her voice seemed to appease him and she kept speaking soothing words into his ear, resting her head near his. She put her hand on his forehead; he still ran a fever and his face glistened from the perspiration. She took care to make sure he was comfortable, then tried to go back to sleep in the armchair.

Around noon, the next day, Jack roused slowly, opening his eyes. His sight was hazy and blurry. He tried to focus his gaze. His mind was muddled. Step by step, the puzzle pieces fell into place. He remembered being shot, the ride to the cabin and having to remove the bullet before he fell unconscious. He was feeling better and the pain from his wounds had quieted. He was still weak, but he felt better. How was it possible? He turned his head and she was there.

"Elizabeth!" He whispered in surprise.

She had found him, treated his wounds, taking care of him. How long had she been here? He smiled, asking himself, 'What have I done to have such a wonderful woman in my life?'

He carefully sat up, reaching for Elizabeth's hand. He softly caressed her hand, his kiss on her knuckles, caused her to stir. She opened her eyes and an overwhelming sense of joy covered her face. She immediately slid of the armchair, kneeling beside him.

She cupped his face with her free hand.

"Oh Jack, I was so worried. How are you feeling?" Elizabeth inquired.

He answered with his dimpled smile as he took her in his arms and kissed her passionately. Their tongues danced together, losing themselves in the moment. They separated, breathless.

"Elizabeth, what are you doing here?" Jack inquired.

"When the two Mounties came into town and told me that they hadn't found anything, I decided to not wait any longer. I was going to find you. What happened to you?"

"I was on my way back to Hope Valley when a gang ambushed me and knocked me out. I saw three shadows stand over me after they shot me, causing me to fall to the ground." Jack explained.

Elizabeth's mouth fell open with shock.

"They surmise that they were afraid of the Mountie uniform. So, not risking getting caught, they shot me. I suspect that they were wanted and had been running away from a recent robbery."

As Elizabeth listened she reminded herself of the dangers of Jack's being a Mountie; she couldn't take it anymore as she let her tears escape from her eyes.

Knowing she was worried, Jack gathered her into his embrace.

"I am so sorry, Elizabeth..." Jack stated.

She clenched his shirt, pulling her tightly into her, clutching him into a vice in her arms. She did not want to let go. They stayed like that for a while, as jack rubbed her back, comforting and calming her down. He brushed his lips along her hair. When she felt better, she pulled back looking apologetically at Jack.

"I am..." Elizabeth began.

Jack interrupted her, putting his finger to her lips.

"Shh, it's okay. You don't have to say anything. You know what, I am hungry." Jack finished.

They laughed and she got up to prepare something for him. After all their emotions were expressed, they talked about leaving the following day, provided that Jack was strong enough to travel.

The next day, Jack was much better but not enough to ride the long way back to Hope Valley. Despite the circumstances, they enjoyed their peaceful time together talking about the wedding and the house that Jack had begun to build. They both slept, needing rest. They knew that love was a powerful thing. With an adventure such as this, they found that when you really loved someone, you could move mountains for your loved ones.

Just after dawn, Jack was the first to wake up. He looked at her and smiled. He sat and stood up, beginning to stretch his legs. He was still stiff, but he could ride. After all, he was a well-trained Mountie and a strong man. He slowly approached Elizabeth caressing her cheek with the back of his fingers, to wake her.

"Elizabeth." He whispered.

"Good morning. You better hurry, we have a long trip to Hope Valley." He explained.

"Good morning, Jack. You're right." Elizabeth acknowledged.

She quickly got up to prepare some breakfast. They ate, packed their things saddled their horses. They traveled the whole day without incidence. Elizabeth kept a close watch over Jack. If he was in pain, he didn't let it show.

At nightfall, they set up the tent and built the camp for the night. An hour later, as Elizabeth was reading to him, he interrupted her.

"Shh. Listen." Jack whispered.

Horses' footsteps approached their camp. Then Jack turned to her, speaking in his 'Mountie tone'.

"Go inside the tent, now." Jack ordered.

"No, I'm not leaving you." Elizabeth argued.

"Fine." Jack replied, pulling her protectively behind him, drawing and readying his weapon.

They waited, their hearts pounding as the footsteps came closer. As the light streamed over the strangers' faces, Jack and Elizabeth were struck with surprise.

"Lee! Frank! Bill!" Jack exclaimed.

"There you are!" Bill shouted.

"We were worried sick about you." Lee added.

"The whole town is as a matter of fact." Frank commented.

"It's a long story. Sorry for the worry." Jack apologized, putting his weapon down and taking Elizabeth by the waist.

Then the three men got down from their horses and took care of them. They set up their tents then joined Jack and Elizabeth around the fire. Jack shared their adventure with them as they all drank some coffee on this cold night.

The next morning, they packed up and were headed back to Hope Valley by dawn. They arrived later that afternoon. Florence and Rosemary were the first to see them come into town. They decided to organize a party for celebrating their returning safe the news spread around town, the entire town gathered to help prepare for the party.

The celebration began at seven o'clock that evening. Everyone was happy for their Mountie and teacher's return. They greeted them with hugs and some of the children kissed Miss Thatcher's cheeks and held her tightly, welcoming her home. Faith made Jack come to the infirmary to make sure his wounds were healing properly. She applauded Elizabeth's nursing skills.

At ten that evening, Elizabeth and Jack slipped out for a private moment. As they approached the cafe, Jack stopped and took her in his embrace. He looked lovingly at her as he spoke.

"I love you, Elizabeth Thatcher. I don't know what I did to have you in my life, but I thank God each day for that. I promise you that I will love you and take care of you until my last breath. I can't wait to be your husband."

"I love you, too. I am the lucky one. You're such a wonderful man. You let memake my own decisions and you respect me as a woman, as a teacher and you treat me as your equal. I can't wait to be your wife!" She grinned at him, putting her right hand on his cheek.

Jack gathered her into his arms, holding her tighter as he pressed his lips to hers in a passionate kiss filled with promises for their life together as man and wife. Six months couldn't pass soon enough.

 _ **The End**_


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